Alabama is the heavy favorite to win its fourth national title in six years. Under Nick Saban, the Crimson Tide have been ahead of the curve, from recruiting to execution to talent development.

The latest reason? Practice preparation.

Alabama is using pros to prepare for games.

It started with former 3,000-yard passer Blake Sims visiting practice to play the part of Texas A&M QB Trevor Knight. A few weeks later, John Parker Wilson imitated LSU QB Danny Etling. And there was also one-time Heisman Trophy finalist Trent Richardson, a running back who went bust in the NFL.

“The guys on the defensive side of the ball were not happy about it,” Wilson told ESPN. “Regular scout team or walk-on guys aren’t going to go square up Reuben Foster and try to run over them. Trent was.

“To use guys that played at Alabama and played in the NFL, basically he has a starting quarterback going against his starting defense where before you’d have a guy that might not have played since high school.

“It’s just finding ways to make his team better. He’s a fanatical preparer, and this is just another way for his defense to get read.”

Trent Richardson at Colts practice in 2013AP

And it is legal. Bylaw 14.2.1.6 states: “A former student at the certifying institution (e.g., former student-athlete) may participate in an organized practice session on an occasional basis, provided the institution does not publicize the participation of the former student at any time before the practice session.”

Alabama worked with the SEC and NCAA to clear the former players to practice.

Wilson said he was invited by strength coach Scott Cochran, and didn’t receive money. He and Richardson kept it a secret by hiding in the weight room until the portion of practice the media is allowed to watch was over.

Others have followed suit. Clemson recently used former All-American quarterback Tajh Boyd.

“They tighten their shoelaces a little bit when he’s out there for sure, because they have to move a little bit quicker,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said.

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Not all coaches are in favor of this trend. Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly described it as “absolutely ludicrous.”

“It doesn’t sound like college football to me,” he said.

Still, it’s just another way Saban is ahead of his competitors.

“It’s just like a lot of things with Nick: He is always a cutting-edge guy that’s always looking for ways to not only increase production from his current team, he keeps former players engaged,” Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin said. “I think a lot of people first looked at it — not myself — but a lot of people looked at it and said, ‘Well, can you do that?’ He’s already been through the ‘Can you do that?’ phase. It’s an example of how he approaches the game — himself and the creative people he surrounds himself with.”